


For Special Occasions

by meanderingsoul



Category: Life on Mars (UK)
Genre: Character Study, Dresses, F/M, Gen, Surreal, also mentions of Sam's terrible undercover outfit, specifically that red dress
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-25
Updated: 2017-01-25
Packaged: 2018-09-19 20:26:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9459176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meanderingsoul/pseuds/meanderingsoul
Summary: Annie didn’t remember where or when she’d bought the red dress, but it seemed she always had at least one around.





	

 

Annie didn’t remember where or when she’d bought the red dress. It was like it had appeared all on its lonesome, right into her wardrobe one day.

It seemed she always had at least one around, always with a deep, but just the right amount of not too deep V neckline, always with fluttery sleeves, and a hemline that swished nicely around her legs. Hadn’t she had one like it as a girl? Was that why it always felt so familiar? But she didn’t think she had. Annie had always preferred pinks to reds when it came down to it.

There was always a particular thrill of something when her hands brushed it amongst her things. It wasn’t a happy thrill, but it wasn’t fear. It didn’t make her nervous to wear the thing, she knew it flattered her figure and the bright color wasn’t really too bold or anything like that. Still, she only wore it rarely, when she went out for a night, or some other such rare event. When her hands reached for it.

She had two in her closet now but didn’t remember shopping for either of them. Still, it was hardly a thing worth fretting about for too long. She had a job to be getting on with after all.

Vic Tyler terrified her beyond all reason at first sight.

He seemed harmless enough at second glance though; he certainly wasn’t intimidating in his physical presence the way the Guv could be sometimes. But she kept waiting for his pleasant expression to twist upon itself, to sneer and warp like the devil himself. And the way Sam lit up to him, the way all the mostly hidden sweetness that she, and even the Guv, so rarely got to see got given so quick. It was infuriating.

Made it all the worse when it became clear that Vic Tyler really was rotten and that Sam had lost whatever tenuous hold on reality she’d thought he’d been rebuilding.

She’d had to change to go watch the wedding venue in a matter of moments, a PC waiting for her outside on the Guv’s orders and the red dress was in her hands and slipping down to cover her before Annie knew what she’d picked up. There was no strange thrill at its touch this time. She wasn’t sure she was feeling much of anything just then. Vic Tyler might get away if they weren’t quick enough. They’d lose Sam one way or another if he didn’t come up out of this latest fit quick enough. Things seemed distant and quiet.

And she was running out of time too, wasn’t she? Only, she wasn’t sure why.

When she kicked Vic Tyler away it felt a far more significant hit than one simple kick, her still dizzy on the ground from being struck, the world gone dim around her and full of distant stars.

Annie cried that night, cried for ages with no idea why except something about it felt like relief.

She never wore a red dress again. Tossed out the one she’d been wearing, found the other had vanished like it’d never been and good riddance to it. She didn’t miss them, wasn’t sure what had ever felt so significant about it really.

Sam, for all his fussiness about some things and strong opinions about what made up a proper kitchen, was rubbish at picking clothes. His ties and jackets never quite matched when he wore them, (she’d wished dearly throughout that entire operation that she’d helped ‘Tony’ dress for dinner) and it was probably for the best he rarely tried. She’d been handed a generous measure of scotch once, back when she was still in uniform, and sworn to secrecy on pain of death over the fact that the Guv had finally despaired of Sam wearing the same few things to work all the time and had helped him pick out some new clothes one weekend.

Still, Sam bought her a dress once, two years or so later, when things had settled. Dark blue with white dots, a nice collar and short sleeves, and a hemline that swished nicely around her legs, though Annie never really wore dresses.

She wore it when they went out dancing that weekend, the other side of town from what had once been The Warren, and Sam watched her in it with hot eyes and that shy tilt to his head she’d always liked so much.

The walked home along the canal hand in hand, without any hurry. Alone with hundreds of stars shining above them, it felt like they had all the time in the world.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I was a very devoted lurker of the lifein1973 community back in the day, but I never really wrote for the show back when it first aired. I've had the time and occasion to rewatch Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes this last month after several years and I enjoyed it so much. I ended up with several fic ideas, such as this one of Annie when viewed through the world built in Ashes to Ashes. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed reading.


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